Probl Hig Epidemiol 2017, 98(4): 387-392pl

Nutritional status and behaviors of corporate office workers in Poznan - a pilot study

Agnieszka Ciepłowska, Katarzyna Waszkowiak, Anna Jędrusek-Golińska, Krystyna Szymandera-Buszka, Dominik Kmiecik, Joanna Kobus-Cisowska

Katedra Technologii Gastronomicznej i Żywności Funkcjonalnej, Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy w Poznaniu

Summary
Introduction. Nowadays, the number of office jobs has increased. This kind of work often causes various health problems resulting from forced and incorrect body posture, stress, and poor nutritional habits.
Aim. The analysis of nutritional behaviours and body composition of corporate office workers. Moreover, the identification of the health problems occurring among those employees resulting from the nature of work and the type of pro-health activities undertaken by the Poznan corporations.
Material & method. The study was conducted in 100 office workers aged 20-45 years, working in large companies located in the Poznan district. Body composition was analysed by the bioimpedance method using Tanita BC1000 analyser. Moreover, a questionnaire survey was carried out with the modified version of KomPan questionnaire to show nutritional behaviours of the participants and aspects of their office work.
Results. Overweight and obesity occurred in 25% of the corporate office workers. 28% of the participants declared eating 5 meals, and 37% consumed only 2-3 meals. 95% of the respondents declared snacking. Only 27% of the participants declared regular meal times. As many as 82% reported health problems related to the nature of their work; the workers with higher job seniority declared headaches and backaches more often than those with a lower one. The participants indicated various health-promoting actions initiated by corporations including promotion of proper nutrition and physical activity after work.
Conclusion. The results show that some unhealthy eating habits are common among the group of corporate office workers; both those habits and sedentary occupation could cause overweight and obesity that was observed in one-quarter of the study subjects. An impact of job seniority on declared work-related health problems of corporate employees was also suggested.

Key words:  office workers, nutritional status, nutritional behaviours, bioelectric impedance, health problems